Dallas Cowboys roster: How DaRon Bland's injury affects roster cuts

The Dallas Cowboys suffered their biggest loss on Saturday when they learned that All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland would be out for six to eight weeks with a stress fracture in his foot. It's disappointing news, but it's better to get through this early than in the final stretch of the season or the playoffs. The Cowboys are also lucky that they won't face teams with a talented wide receiver duo until Week 8 of the season, nine weeks before the season starts. Bland should be fully recovered by then.

After the break, things will get much more difficult as they face San Francisco (Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk), Philadelphia (AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith), Houston (Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell), Cincinnati (JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins), Tampa Bay (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) and Philly again.

While the game plan has done them a favor, the team will still be without one of its best cornerbacks to start the season. Bland's role is as the second outside cornerback to Trevon Diggs and a backup in the slot should anything happen to Jourdan Lewis. In this scenario, the team's fourth-best cornerback, rookie Caelen Carson, would move to the outside while Bland takes over the slot after he recovers. Carson has looked good in training camp and is a viable option for the team.

Bland's versatility allows the Cowboys to cover everything with their top four players, but that luxury is now over. There is a dire need for an outside corner (that will be Carson) and they need to figure out which remaining players on their roster provide them with the best depth.

Who is your next best full-back?

In last year's draft, the Cowboys traded up to select Eric Scott Jr. from Southern Mississippi. He was their obligatory “who's that guy” corner who supposedly had the qualities the scouting department valued in a corner. After an unsuccessful rookie season, Scott Jr.'s spot on the roster seemed in jeopardy. He showed improvement in the preseason. He gave up too much yardage in the first game, but his reps gradually looked better. He was well lined up at receiver and made a nice touchdown-saving pass breakup against the Chargers. He still has some things to work on, but this pick finally makes sense.

The other reason to hold onto Scott Jr. is simply a lack of options. The Cowboys traded failed CB experiment Nahshon Wright to the Minnesota Vikings for former second-round pick Andrew Booth. That's a small selection, but it looks like an improvement for the Cowboys. Booth has been roughed up in the last two preseason games and has allowed some big plays, but he's also gotten some good reps.

Josh Butler is another player we were hoping would take the next step. He had a good start in training camp but looked very boring in the preseason. Booth and Butler are better “last picks” than the Cowboys have had in the past, but neither inspires much confidence and is unlikely to survive the final roster cuts. The good news is that at least one of these players (if not both) should come off waivers and bring the Cowboys' last pick back to the practice squad.

Who is your next best slot corner?

The Cowboys have two options here. First, there's fan favorite and rarely used Israel Mukuamu. He's another one of those guys that scouts love to play late in the rounds. The last time we saw him in the slot, he was shutting down Chris Godwin in the playoffs. Under new leadership on defense, Mukuama has moved from safety to corner and has looked very comfortable. This move comes at a good time considering the Cowboys need more help in coverage. Mukuamu had a good training camp and could finally carve out a role for himself on this team, at least early in the season as more opportunities arise.

Another option is Kemon Hall. This well-traveled practice squad player has played a lot in the first two preseason games, including a pick six against the Los Angeles Rams last week. Hall has a feel for plays, but an injury sidelined him for the team's final preseason game. Will that hurt his chances of making the team?

Other things to consider…

Bland will be placed on the injured list and expected to return, meaning the Cowboys can use his roster spot for another player. That buys them a little more time to see what they have in those other defensive backs. It could also allow them to keep undrafted free agent strong safety Julius Wood, who continues to impress. The Cowboys' secondary position group could look like this:

CORNERS (5): Diggs, Lewis, Carson, Scott Jr. and Mukuamu

SECURITY (5): Hooker, Wilson, Bell, Thomas and Wood

TRAINING GROUP: Booth, Butler and Hall

This deal keeps the best defenders on the roster while still giving them good depth in all facets of the secondary (outside coverage, slot coverage, and strong safety). There are plenty of options, but with recent cuts, finding enough quality will be critical for the coaching staff.